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Fischer Poll Puts Her Up 25 Points; Team Kerrey Says No Way

By   /   June 19, 2012  /   21 Comments

Deb Fischer‘s campaign has released internal polling that has her leading Democrat Bob Kerrey by 25 points in the race for the U.S. Senate.

The poll has the Republican state senator leading the former governor and U.S. senator 58 percent to 33 percent, with 7 percent undecided. However, the Kerrey campaign cast doubt on the accuracy of the poll, saying those numbers are “nowhere close” to what other private polls are showing.

“People are just beginning to find out about State Senator Deb Fischer,” Kerrey spokesman Chris Triebsch said. “We are confident that as people learn about her, they aren’t going to like what they see.”

The Fischer campaign said the live telephone survey was conducted Sunday and Monday by Public Opinion Strategies, which it calls a nationally renowned polling firm with a long record of polling for campaigns in Nebraska including Dave Heineman for Governor, Mike Johanns for U.S. Senate, Jeff Fortenberry for Congress, Lee Terry for Congress, and Adrian Smith for Congress. Public Opinion Strategies surveyed 500 likely voters and the poll has a margin of error of 4.38 percent, according to the Fischer campaign.

Two days after Fischer’s dramatic upset of Attorney General Jon Bruning in the primary election, a Rasmussen poll of likely voters showed Fischer leading Kerrey by 18 percentage points, 56 percent to 38 percent.Voters were asked who they would vote for if the election were held that day.

Nebraskans across the state are sending a very clear message that they prefer commonsense conservative Deb Fischer over liberal Democrat Bob Kerrey,” campaign manager Aaron Trost said in a press release. “Senator Fischer represents a welcome change from the career politicians in Washington who have given us record unemployment, trillions in debt, and Obamacare.”

Over the last several months, two superPACs have spent at least a million dollars attacking Kerrey. Kerrey’s supporters argue his critics wouldn’t be shelling out that kind of money if they thought Fischer had a 25-point lead.

Reported by Deena Winter, deena@nebraskawatchdog.org.

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Deena Winter

  • John

    Well, we already know about Kerry, so what’s the problem? He’s a rubber stamp Liberal. We’ve had that for 4 years and it didn’t work.

    Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Time for a big change in the Senate.

  • SoWhat???

    Kerry is far behind…25 points maybe inaccurate…but he’s way behind. The pendulum is swing to the conservative side in this election and Cosmic Bob is an NYC classic liberal. He’s going to lose. So it’s hilarious to waste time asking him where his son is going to school, etc. By 11/07/12, Cosmic Bob will be headed back to NYC to resume his life there with his NYC family.

  • Frequent Voter

    “People are just beginning to find out about State Senator Deb Fischer,” Kerrey spokesman Chris Triebsch said.

    The more people know of Senator Fischer the more they will want to vote for her. She is dedicated to conservative principles and will pursue them passionately without playing games.

  • Kate

    Didn’t Jon Bruning have that kind of lead over Deb Fischer at one point too?

  • Lincoln Politico

    I am leary of voting for Bob Kerrey but I must say I view the so-called conservative Republican candidate in this race as being just as much hot air and pretense as any NYC liberal. While Kerrey speaks to substantive issues and addresses groups, Fischer appears content to simply think she can ride a popularity poll into the U.S. Senate. I am really starting to think she’d be a bit of a joke in the Senate. I want someone who is willing to tell me where they stand on reducing the federal debt; how they plan to reduce federal spending, how taxes need to be restructured to prompt increased private sector growth. At this point in the race, Kerrey deserves more credit (in my opinon) for his willingness to discuss substantive issues. Partisans can call him names all they want but it seems at least he is willing to get out and talk in serious forums about serious issues. It’s nice that Fischer “loves to walk in parades and attend country fairs” but I don’t see this as an essential skill for our next U.S. Senator from Nebraska. For me, if Kerrey came out and called for real reforms of federal employee benefits and pay, I’d be leaning in his direction. I can’t imagine Deb is going to do very well in any debates with Kerrey. BTW, I think its interesting that Fischer seems to be following the “Bruning Strategy” for success now that she thinks she has it in the bank. She ins’t helping herself!

  • Prairie Dog

    Brief civics lesson (prompted by John’s remark, “We’ve had that for 4 years….”

    Senators are elected for six year terms. Each state elects two senators. The 100 U. S. Senators are divided into three (nearly) equal classes. The terms of each class begin at two-year intervals. The senators from any state are never in the same class, so each state votes for only one of its senators at a time. Only one-third of the entire U. S. Senate is elected every two years. This insures that if no senator was ever re-elected, one third of them would have two years experience and one third of them would have four years, while only one third of them would be inexperienced rookies. This was worked out way back in 1787, and most Americans still don’t know about it. NOW GET THIS: ONE OR THE OTHER (ALTERNATELY) OF NEBRASKA’S TWO SENATE SEATS IS UP FOR GRABS DURING EVERY OTHER “OFF YEAR” (NON-PRESIDENTIAL) ELECTION WHEN ONLY TEN PERCENT OF REGISTERED VOTERS BOTHER TO MARK A BALLOT. MIKE JOHANNS SEAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN TWO YEARS WHEN NOBODY IS PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO POLITICS. Never mind who I am going to vote for, consider who you are, and why, and then DO IT. Commenting on Watchdog does not elect candidates, actually voting is the only thing that has any real effect.

    GOOD ECOLOGY IS GOOD ECONOMY

    the Prairie Dog

  • Tom

    Kate’s right. Most on the right thought Bruning was going to win and ridiculed Fischet til the night of the primary (Leavenworth Street Blog). Deb did a great job.

    But Deb has some serious flaws that when Nebraskans learn of, will not vote for her. She will not take on the right wing extremist in her party. She and her family love their taxpayer handouts, which is counter to conservatism.

    Kerrey is the underdog, that is for sure, but he has a good message that I believe will resonate.

  • Prairie Dog

    A few more thoughts on Civics: Regarding Senators, Nebraska has 49 people elected to the Nebraska Legislature, also known as the Unicameral, who call themselves Senator, but whose official title is Legislator. “Senators” from odd-numbered legislative districts are elected in presidential election years, and the rest are elected when almost nobody bothers to vote. They serve four year terms and are limited to two terms, just like the president of the U. S. Do you know what legislative district you live in? Do you know who your state “senator” is? Can you imagine why a state legislator would prefer to be called “senator?”

    To John: Are you referring to Ben Nelson as a rubber stamp liberal? He will have served TWELVE years at the end of his current term, not four. Also, he is hardly liberal. Most liberals consider him a “closet Republican.”

    GOOD ECOLOGY IS GOOD ECONOMY

    the Prairie Dog

  • Tim

    Kerrey’s supporters argue his critics wouldn’t be shelling out that kind of money if they thought Fischer had a 25-point lead

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Superpacs are like nukes. I have to have them because the other guy has them.

    They’ll spend as part of the overall plan, if nothing more than to make a statement.

  • Tim

    Kate

    Didn’t Jon Bruning have that kind of lead over Deb Fischer at one point too?

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    That was before Bruning and Stenberg started bashing each other while Deb and crew were working on their ground game. The more voters knew of Bruning and Stenberg, the less they liked. Their support was obviously “soft”.

    GOP Primary votes (all candidates) 195,043

    DNC Primary votes (all candidates) 82,225

    Which side is more enthused?

  • Tim

    Tom

    She and her family love their taxpayer handouts, which is counter to conservatism.

    (((Reading DNC talking points much?)))

    Kerrey is the underdog, that is for sure, but he has a good message that I believe will resonate.

    (((What message is that? I like Obamacare and big gov’t and will flip-flop when it suits me to fool the voters)))

    FYI: It’s 2012, NOT 1992. A flashy smile and impish charm will not be enough. Obama will have NO coat tails, social media, the Tea Party, super pacs and a few other factors have changed the political landscape.

  • DK

    Wow, Bob Kerrey sucked before, now he has no clue about Nebraska’s issues. He doesn’t live here and doesn’t deserve to be on the ballot. New candidate please… and not Ben Nelson. He sucks worse.. Lame sellout.

    Doing some research, Deb Fischer is pretty awesome.

  • Dan

    I’m just wondering, Is cosmic Bob gonna stand up to the insane liberals like Reid, Pelosi, John Kerry and Feinstein? Oh wait, that’s right, he’s fundraising WITH all of them. Not the party, but the man ey Bob. And fwiw, Nelson has become a FLAMING committed liberal the last 4 years.

  • Tom

    Tim

    So, Fischer’s taxpayer subsidized grazing costs are about $2/head/month and ranchers paying market prices are $30/head/month. You don’t see this as a full frontal assault on conservative values????

    Let’s see, say she has 100 heads. Taxpayers give her $2,900 a month, or $34,800. She and her husband have been operating this ranch for over 20 years … So she has received, from TAXPAYERS north of $500,000!!!!!

    This doesn’t even include her $100,000s in farm subsidies.

    Must be great to be Deb Fischer. She redefines our state motto: “The Good Life”, if you Deb Fischer.

  • Bob Smith

    Another attempt by the Republican party to denounce a war hero, who won the Congressional Medal of Honor. How low can they go?

  • http://none Roger Yant

    War hero yes, but hero to the common folk who work hard and try and keep their heads above water during these times NEVER! Tell me has his family moved back here to Nebraska yet? Nope and they never will.

  • http://nebraskawatchdog resistwemuch

    Just a casual observation. Compare the two photos that accompany the NW article. Which pic conveys a more favorable impression? Not saying this website is biased in any way.

  • BkDodge42

    Tom, you lost me with your fuzzy math. It looked as if you subtracted $2 from the $30 and came up with $29?

    You should be criticizing President Obama about this since he said that there would be in increase in the fees for grazing.

    In nearly 12 years Senator Ben Nelson wasn’t interested in putting forth this increase until he was no longer going to need to be reelected by Nebraska farmers.

  • Kirk Welch

    you republicans need a REAL Liberal, At least it would give some balance to this Bubble Wrapped State. the Republican conservatives screw you at every turn and yet you continue to vote em in like they are angels sent from Heaven. god give me the serenity not to go postal and set fire to the next GOP flag I see. UGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

  • Dan

    Hey kirk what do you think ole chuckie hagel was?

  • Watching From Lincoln

    Chuck Hagel, like Ben Nelson, is a Moderate. That’s middle of the road for the far-right, foaming-at-the-mouth rabid conservatives out there. Of course, anything to the left of falling off the right edge of the 6,000 year old flat Earth is that dreaded labeling word, “liberal” to them. Even if the person is merely a Moderate, like Chuck Hagel, Ben Nelson, Bob Kerrey, Ed Zorinsky, Norbert Tiemann, Charlie Thone, Kay Orr or J.J. Exon ALL were (regardless of Party) Moderates, but to the rabid-dog-far-right-dogma slaves out there, they were/are all “liberals” to their politically ignorant minds.

    Deb Fischer is just another K St. whore, replete with knee pads for her meeting with Grover Norquist when she was ducking, er running from, her chance to debate Bob Kerrey at Boys and Girls State earlier this month. She’s ducked another opportunity to debate Bob yet again, just lately. She’s a mental midget compared to Bob with absolutely NO grasp of Foreign Policy, International Relations, National Economic Policy or any of the real issues that mark a competent US Senator, areas that Bob Kerrey already has demonstrable competency in, and still remains competent in, and that Deb Fischer has NO concept of whatsoever.

    Deb Fischer has ducked, and continues to duck, open debate with Bob Kerrey for one simple reason: To do so would show her to be the incompetent, unqualified, out of touch with reality, Koch-sucking, Ricketts-owing, Norquist-Nazi that has nothing going for her other than the endorsement from that bimbo from Alaska, don’tcha know, and that doesn’t say much for her, either. In open debate, Bob Kerrey would eat Deb Fischer for lunch and crap her out by dinner time. Without LOTS of practice and prompting on the issues by her handlers, and even then, she doesn’t stand a chance.

    DEB FISCHER ONLY KNOWS WHAT SHE’S BEEN TOLD TO KNOW, AND ONLY SAYS WHAT SHE’S BEEN TOLD TO SAY. SHE’S A TOOL, NOTHING MORE, AND ONE OF THE DULLER ONES IN THE SHED!